Plenty of headlines overnight about strict new filesharing punishments in Japan, where illegal downloaders now face up to two years in prison and fines of up to 2m Yen ($25.7k). The details aren’t news – they were passed back in June – but they come into force this week. Music rightsholders are pleased, with industry body the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) having claimed that in 2010, 4.36bn music and video files were downloaded illegally, versus 440m bought legally. Omnifone was the first digital music service to capitalise with a press release – its client Sony launched its Music Unlimited service in Japan earlier this year – claiming that Japan’s “carrot and stick approach will certainly reduce piracy in the region”.
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